New Tank! :d

[Sherriff]

Hello!
My first post so please be gentle with me!
 
Right here is the deal! I currently have a couple of tanks set up of the tropical variety (ins and outs arent relevant)
This is my total stock list:
-18 Neon Tetra
-8 Penguin Tetra
-8 Zebra Danio
-6 Honey Gourami
-2 3-Spot Gourami
-2 Angel Fish
-1 Betta
 
Now, here's the exciting bit... I am having a 480Litre tank delivered Monday!!! 

The filter system consists of 4 trays.
I have a few questions for you fishy experts!
 
1. What filter media do you suggest in each tray? Why?
2. CYCLING! -with or without fish? Why? How?
3. Can the above list of fish all be placed into my new tank?
4. What other additions/adjustments would you make to my 480 litre fish list and why?!
 
I have some basic fish knowledge and I am very vigilant so I'm not exactly a newbie but this style and size of tank is a whole new kettle of fish for me and I don't want to get it wrong.
Thank you all in advance, it means a lot!

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Hi and welcome.
 
I suggest you take a look at the Beginners Resource Centre first which should provide you details re the first two points. I'm not sure if a Betta would be good news with the Gouramis but maybe one of our Betta experts would be able to confirm that. I'm also not sure you really want to put Angels in with Gouramis.
 
Angels are also likely to eat Neons when they get big enough.

 

[the_lock_man]

1) Personally, I'm a big fan of ceramics for the biological filter, so I'd have ceramics in 2 trays, coarse sponge in 1 and fine sponge in the last. I don't suggest you put carbon in any of them, if the filter comes with carbon, keep it aside until you need to remove spent medications from the water.
 
2) If you have the space to set it up without shutting down your other tanks, then fishless, using some mature media from each of your other tanks. Why? Because fishless is easier How? Have a look in the Beginners Resource Centre
 
3) No. The betta will hate such a huge tank, and will not get on with either type of gourami.

 

[TallTree01]

Betta will hate a huge tank?!?
Id think itd be paradises for him.... Until he gets eaten

 

[the_lock_man]

Betta will hate a huge tank?!?
Id think itd be paradises for him.... Until he gets eaten

 
Yup, bigger tanks have lots of fish, and this often freaks them out. Too much activity. As you know, they come from still, stagnant puddles in south-east asia, where nothing happens. They (generally) don't like stuff going on. Obviously, you could find a particularly gregarious one, their temperament varies greatly.
 
Even in small tanks, they can be freaked by smaller whizzy fish (tetras, rasbos, etc).
 
Some people only recommend keeping them on their own for this reason, although I feel that's going too far. I've had them in a community setting, but I wouldn't put one in my 100l tank.

 

[TallTree01]

I gotcha now.

 

[Sherriff]

My betta is currently in a large tank with gourami and tetra... has been from the get go. This tank is also home to my Angels have also been together from the get go. Never had a problem here but now you've got me worried.
I understand that if it fits in an angels mouth  then its dinner so no worries on that part!
 
-Ooops.
 
Looks like 3 years of fishkeeping is gonna be turned on me...

 

[TallTree01]

They might not eat them. They could be vegetarians or something I guess, just a warning that it's a possibility.

 

[Sherriff]

I know the deal with angels and their big mouths, if it fits its food usually. The tetra are large and the angels arent so big at the moment so i shall await the growth spurt! haha.


Another point i should probably make is that the sex of all these fish is unknown as i don't have the slightest clue as to how you know! 
The betta is male, thats as far as I've got ;]